The spooky etiquette behind AI meeting assistants ??

If you work in an office, chances are you’ve encountered ghost meetings—scheduled gatherings that no one actually attends. A conference room may be reserved, creating the illusion that the space is occupied for hours, while people opt to join on Zoom or skip the meeting entirely.?

With the rise of hybrid and remote work, these ghost meetings have become less common. However, a new spooky workplace trend is on the horizon: AI-powered meeting assistants and notetakers are popping up as surprise guests in virtual meetings. In keeping with the season, let’s call them “meeting ghosts.”

Imagine this: You’re waiting for a virtual meeting to begin, ready to greet a client or colleague, when an unexpected participant asks to join the call. Their name might appear as Rev , OtterPilot, Fred, or Katie’s AI Notetaker—indicating that it’s a virtual assistant present to take notes. Still, no one has informed you of its presence. The meeting continues as scheduled. This situation reflects the state of our AI-driven culture and, arguably, signifies progress. No one on the call has to be tasked with taking notes or other administrative tasks that detract from the conversation. But for some, the presence of a “meeting ghost” might also bring about an unsettling sense of intrusion.

AI assistants have become trusted allies for many knowledge workers, helping with everything from managing schedules and proofreading emails to summarizing meetings and taking notes. It’s increasingly common to see multiple AI-powered notetakers in the background of a single call, silently transcribing conversations. On rare occasions, these “meeting ghosts” even fill in for colleagues who couldn’t attend.?

As more companies adopt these tools to enhance their workflows, navigating the etiquette surrounding AI assistants is essential—ensuring that everyone is aware of when and how AI is being used.?

Etiquette 101 for “meeting ghosts” ??

• Introduce your friendly “ghost”: Start by introducing your AI assistant so that all participants are aware of its presence and purpose.?Some transcription services have a function where the AI assistant automatically joins meetings by default. Choose a tool, like Rev, that lets you control the auto-join feature, so that you or who you’re meeting with aren’t caught by surprise.

• Be transparent about its role: Clarify the assistant’s role in the meeting. Is it simply recording or transcribing the interview? Will you send a follow-up email with its insights to the team later? If you can’t attend the meeting, communicate to participants in advance to let them know that your notetaker will be there in your absence.

• Address any privacy concerns: Ensure that your chosen tool meets the necessary privacy and data standards of your organization. Clearly explain how the information will be used and safeguarded, so everyone feels secure and informed.

• Be discerning about its presence: Think twice about having your AI notetaker present in potentially sensitive meetings, like client introductions, one-on-ones, or hiring calls.

What’s making waves in the workplace??

A short and sweet cheat sheet on the latest workplace news.

• Watch out Gen Z, Baby Boomers are sticking around the workplace—and making their voices heard. (Financial Times)
• Major companies are “quiet-quitting” DEI initiatives by rolling back diversity programs. Call it the Great Quieting. (Bloomberg)
• Be honest, were you hired for the vibes? Deconstructing the “personality hire” trend on TikTok. (Fast Company)
• TikTok is heading to court—again. No one’s sure about the fate of our favorite app. (The Washington Post)
• Wall Street is curbing hours for bankers amidst claims of “a dangerous culture of overwork.” (The Wall Street Journal)
• Meta’s new AI assistant will feature some familiar voices ?? John Cena, Awkwafina, Judi Dench, Kristen Bell and Keegan-Michael Key have allowed their voices to be used for the product. (The Wall Street Journal)

The Best AI Story of the Month

Why AI is gearing up to be a groundbreaking product feature—not a product category

The Wall Street Journal columnist, Christopher Mims, analyzes Apple and Google’s latest AI announcements, highlighting new features that he deems might actually be more useful as integrated tools in existing software than as stand-alone AI products.?

These tools work a lot more like previous waves of AI—software humming away in the background, doing stuff for us—than the kinds of human assistant-like AIs we’ve been told are just around the corner.

What’s on your mind about meeting etiquette?

Let us know in the comments and you might see your answer featured in an upcoming newsletter!